Artificial leg.



BEST AVAlLABLE COP PATENTBD APR. 11, 1905.

0; B. WINN. ARTIFICIAL LEG. APPLICATION IFILED JAN. 14, 1905.

artificial leg embodying the invention.

CHESTER B. VVINN, OF

BEST AVAILABLE COP Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

BUFFALO. NEiV YORK.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,250, dated April 11, 1905.

Appncation filed January 14, 1905. Serial No. 241,024.

To (1.2 whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER B. l/VINN, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Buffalo. n the county of Erie and State of New York, iave invented new and useful Improvements .n Artificial Legs, of which the following is 1. specification.

This invention relates to artificial legs of the :lass having a so-called slip-socket, which .s cushioned on the ankle-piece in order to ob- =ain an elastic action of these members and render the leg more comfortable to the wearer.

One of the objects of my invention is to proyide the leg with improved cushions or springs which will retain their resilience for a comparatively long period and which do not obstruct the hollow central portion of the slipsocket and ankle-piece, so as to adapt the leg ;o a long as well as a short stump.

Further objects of the invention are to apply the cushioning-springs to the leg in a neat 1nd inexpensive manner and to render them adjustable for regulating their resistance, as

required.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure1 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of an Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view thereof on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical section-in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the cushion-casings. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section in line 5 5, Fig. l, on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A indicates the customary upper straps carried by the thigh-lacing, (not shown in the :lrawings,) and A the lower straps, which latter are secured to opposite sides of the ankle-pieces or hollow lower member B of the artificial leg and hinged to the upper straps in a wcll-known manner.

C is the stump-socket or' hollow upper section, which receives the stump of the natural leg and slides vertically on the ankle-piece, the socket being preferably reduced at its lower end and fitted into the upper end of the ankle-piece, as shown in Fig. 1.

D D indicate cushions or springs interposed between the anklepiece and the stump-socket to yieldingly resist the downward movement of the socket on the ankle-piece. These springs are preferably located at the front and rear sides of theleg, as shown in the drawings, and in the preferred form of the invention each spring consists of a block of soft rubber seated or confined in a rectangular socket or casing E, which is open at its upper end and closed at its lower end. This casing is countersunk in a recess a. formed in the face of the ankle-piece, so as to be substantially flush with the surface thereof. The casing rests upon the bottom of the recess 6 and is secured in place therein by screws passing through perforated lugs e, projecting from the upper end thereof and entering the upper edge of the ankle-piece, or by other suitable means. The rubber cushion terminates short of the upper end of the casing to leave room for a plunger or rigid block F, which rests upon the cushion and bears at its upper end against the shoulder f, formed by contracting the lower end of the stump-socket. By this construction the cushion is confined within the casing on all sides, and the weight of the wearer is exerted upon the cushion through the plunger, thus preventing spreading or buckling of the cushion, which would be liable to occur if the same were extended above the casing in contact with the stumpsocket. Each rubber cushion may rest directly upon the bottom of its casing E; but

it is preferably seated upon a suitable adjust-- ing device, by which it may be raised or lowered in the casing for increasing or diminishing its resistance, according to the weight of the person wearing the artificial leg. The preferred adjusting device shown in the drawings consists of a follower 9, arranged in the casing E underneath the cushion, and a screw or bolt it, passing through an internally-screw threaded neck 6 at the lower end of the casing and bearing against the under side of the follower. This adj ustingscrew is arranged in a recess j, formed in the ankle-piece, and may be turned by a pin or wrench inserted in holes formed in its head or by any other suitable means.

The ankle-piece and stump-socket are provided with the usual rawhide covering in, and the space between the upper end of the anklepiece and the shoulder f of the stump-socket is closed by the customary band Z, carried by the ankle-piece. The covering has an opening it" to admit the abovementioned wrench.

As before stated, the rubber cushions are preferably located at the front and rear sides of the leg, as shown; but, if desired, they may be located at other suitable points. These cushions being subjected to compressionstrains and confined against lateral expansion by their inclosing sockets or casings retain their resilience for a long time and when necessary can be renewed at small expense. As the cushions are arranged at the surface or outer side of the leg, they do not obstruct or occupy any portion of its hollow interior, enabling the leg to receive a comparatively long stump and also permitting free ventilation of the same.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with an ankle-piece and a stump-socket slidable thereon, of rubber cushioningblocks interposed between said members and arranged at the outer sides thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofan ankle-piece, a stump-socket slidable thereon, a casing inserted between said members, and a cushion seated in said casing and arranged to resist the downward movement of the stump socket on the ankle-piece, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an ankle-piece and a stump-socket slidable thereon, of rubber cushioning-blocks interposed between said members and arranged at the outersides thereof, and adjusting means for regulating the resistence of said blocks, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with an ankle-piece and a stump-socket slidable thereon, of a guidecasing secured to the anklepiece, a cushion BEST AVAILABLE cop seated in said casing, and a plunger arranged in the upper portion of the casing and interposed between the cushion and the stumpsocket, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with an ankle-piece and a stumpsocket slidable thereon, of a guidecasing secured to the anlle-piece and open a1 its upper end, a follower arranged in the casing, adjusting means for the same, a cushion arranged in the casing and seated on the follower, and a plunger arranged in the casing and bearing'at its ends against the cushion and the stump-socket, respectively, sub: stantially as set forth.

6. The combination with an ankle-piece pro-f "ided in its surface at its upper end with a re-l cess, a casing seated in said recess, a stump-f socket slidable on the ankle-piece, a cushion arranged in said casing, and a plunger guided in the casing and interposed between the cush ion and the stump-socket, substantially as set forth. i

7. The combination with an ankle-piece and a stump-socketslidable thereon, of a guidei casing secured to the ankle-piece and provided at its upper end with attaching-ears and at it, lower end with a screw-threaded opening, a stump-socketslidable on the ankle-piece, a follower arranged in the lower portion of said casing, an adjusting -screw engaging said threaded opening and bearing against the follower, a rubber cushion seated on the follower.

'and a plunger guided in said casing and interposed between the cushion and the stumpsocket, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this13th day of January.

CHESTER B. WINN. Witnesses:

G. F. GEYER, E. M. GRAHAM. 

